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VITAMIN C, VITAMIN E, PROTEIN, FOLATE,
SIX TIMES THE RDA OF VITAMIN A...
AND HE'S A KNOWN CANCER FIGHTER!
WELL, YOUR CLIENT CERTAINLY HAS SOME HANDSOME NUTRITIONAL CREDENTIALS, BUT...
AND MORE DIETARY FIBER THAN A BOWL OF OATMEAL.
WELL, FIBER'S NICE, BUT IT'S NOT VERY SEXY, NOW, IS IT?
UH... NO.
AND LET'S FACE IT, YOUR CLIENT'S JUST NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT, IS HE?
UH UH, NO, BUT...
EVERY MEAL NEEDS A VERSATILE SUPPORTING PLAYER --
SOMEONE WHO CAN COMPLEMENT A WIDE RANGE OF TEXTURES AND FLAVORS.
MY CLIENT DOES IT ALL, MR. BROWN --
SWEET, SAVORY, YOU NAME IT!
WHY, ONE FOOD CRITIC EVEN DUBBED HIM
"THE PORK OF THE ROOT WORLD."
"PORK OF THE ROOT WORLD"... NICE ACCOLADE.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT AND GET BACK TO YOU.
WELL, I... I KNEW IT WAS A LONG SHOT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
OH NO, NO.
(softly) CAL, FILE THAT WITH MY OTHER VEGETABLES.
OF COURSE, I'D HOPED THE RUMORS WEREN'T TRUE.
RUMORS? WHAT RUMORS?
WHAT???
IT'S IN YOUR "FOOD NETWORK" PROFILE.
I AM NOT AFRAID OF SWEET POTATOES!
IT'S JUST THAT... YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN
WHAT MY GRANDMOTHER DID TO THOSE THINGS... AWW!
(slamming briefcase down) IT WAS THE MARSHMALLOWS, WASN'T IT?
IT TOOK ME YEARS TO GET HIM OUT OF THAT CONTRACT.
I BEGGED HIM NOT TO SIGN, BUT WOULD HE LISTEN?
(starting to cry) THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH... AN AGENT CAN DO.
LOOK, SETTLE DOWN... WILL HE DO HIS OWN STUNTS?
AHH... HM HM HM.
AHHHH! GRRR... HAH!
ALL RIGHT, LISTEN, I'M GONNA GIVE THE KID A SHOT.
OHHH! YOU WON'T REGRET THIS, MR. BROWN.
YOU GIVE MY CLIENT A FEW DECENT TOOLS AND A LITTLE KNOW-HOW,
AND WE'LL MAKE HIM A STAR!
WAIT A SECOND -- THIS SHOW'S ALREADY GOT A STAR.
WHAT I REALLY NEED ARE JUST A FEW GOOD...
♪♪
DESPITE THE NAME, SWEET POTATOES
ARE NOT MERELY POTATOES THAT HAPPEN TO BE SWEET.
IN FACT, BOTANICALLY SPEAKING, THESE THINGS ARE NOT EVEN RELATED TO POTATOES.
THEY ARE, IN FACT, THE ROOT OF A VINE
IN THE MORNING GLORY FAMILY.
BECAUSE THEY ARE?
WHAT YOU TALKIN' ABOUT, DEB DUCHON?
WELL, I'M TALKING ETYMOLOGICALLY, NOT BOTANICALLY.
OHH.
THE ROOTS THAT CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
BROUGHT BACK TO SPAIN IN 1493 WERE CALLED BATATAS
BY THE INDIANS WHO LIVED
IN THE GREATER ANTILLES ISLAND AT THE TIME.
IN SPAIN, THEY STARTED CALLING THEM PATATAS .
NOW THE SPANISH INTRODUCED THEM TO THE ENGLISH
BY SERVING A SWEET POTATO PIE TO HENRY VIII,
AND HE WAS SO GRATEFUL THAT HE BROUGHT IT BACK TO ENGLAND
AND THEY MANGLED THE NAME TO POTATOES .
OKAY, SO WHERE DID SWEET GET INVOLVED IN IT?
THE SWEET WASN'T ADDED FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED MORE YEARS,
AND THAT WAS IN BOSTON WHEN THESE IRISH IMMIGRANTS
STARTED BRINGING WHITE POTATOES ACTUALLY BACK TO NORTH AMERICA.
OKAY, WHAT ABOUT THIS?
OH, THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
THAT'S PART MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND PART AMERICAN MARKETING.
BACK IN THE 1930s, SOME LOUISIANA FARMERS
DEVELOPED AN ORANGE KIND OF VARIETY OF SWEET POTATO,
AND THEY WANTED TO DIFFERENTIATE IT
FROM THE YELLOW SWEET POTATOES THAT THEN DOMINATED THE MARKET.
WELL, YAM WAS ALREADY SOUTHERN SLANG FOR SWEET POTATO,
AND IT HAD BEEN CALLED THAT BECAUSE SLAVES WHO CAME FROM WEST AFRICA
COMPARED IT TO THE YAMS THAT THEY GREW IN AFRICA.
OH, YOU MEAN ONE OF THESE?
EXACTLY!
WELL, THAT'S GOOD, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
THAT'S NOTHIN'.
YEAH?
YEAH, AND THE REALLY INTERESTING THING IS,
IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA -- THEY GROW 'EM THERE,
AND THEY ALSO GROW SWEET POTATOES --
THE WOMEN GROW THE SWEET POTATOES,
BUT ONLY A MAN CAN GROW A YAM.
(laughing) MAN-YAMS ?
WHY IS IT THAT ONLY MEN CAN GROW MAN-YAMS ?
BECAUSE THE YAMS THAT THEY GROW
YEAH?
THINK ABOUT IT.
UH, TRADITIONALLY A COLD-WEATHER STAPLE,
SWEETS ARE AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND NOW,
BUT THEIR FLAVOR REALLY DOES PEAK
DURING FALL AND WINTER MONTHS.
ALWAYS CHOOSE SPECIMENS THAT ARE A BIT HEAVY FOR THEIR SIZE
AND ARE FREE OF ANY SOFT SPOTS OR SPROUTS.
OTHERWISE, I WOULDN'T GET TOO CARRIED AWAY WITH AESTHETICS.
I MEAN, SWEET POTATOES HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN FOR THEIR LOOKS,
WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY THERE'S NEVER BEEN
A MR. SWEET POTATO HEAD.
SEE, SWEET... NO...
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
ANY SPOT SUITABLE FOR SPUD STORAGE
IS A GREAT PLACE FOR STASHING YOUR SWEETS, AS WELL.
NOW SINCE THEY'RE MIGHTY MOIST WHEN HARVESTED,
SWEET POTATOES ARE CURED, OR PARTIALLY DRIED,
IN KILNS FOR A FEW DAYS TO TOUGHEN THEIR SKINS
AND INCREASE THEIR STORAGE POTENTIAL.
YOU DON'T WANT TO UNDO THAT CURE, OKAY?
SO KEEP THESE IN DRY AND COOL, WELL-VENTILATED AREAS, OKAY?
AND TRY TO USE THEM WITHIN, SAY, 10 TO 15 DAYS.
OH, AND REMEMBER, SWEET POTATOES BRUISE
A LOT MORE EASILY THAN REGULAR POTATOES,
SO BE GENTLE, OKAY?
ALL SHOW-BIZ HYPE ASIDE,
SWEET POTATOES REALLY DO DESERVE OUR RESPECT,
IF FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT THEY ARE GREAT MULTITASKERS.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER
SET OUT TO PLUMB THIS ROOT'S DEPTHS
AND WOUND UP MAKING EVERYTHING FROM FLOUR TO VINEGAR,
INSTANT COFFEE, AFTER-DINNER MINTS,
PAINT, AND FIVE KINDS OF LIBRARY PASTE.
OF COURSE, UNLESS YOU'RE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN KINDERGARTEN,
THAT DOESN'T REALLY SOUND LIKE GOOD EATS.
WHAT WE WANNA KNOW IS THIS --
CAN A SWEET POTATO MATCH PORK'S PERFORMANCE
AS A CULINARY CHAMELEON,
OR IS IT NOTHING MORE THAN A ONE-NOTE VEGGIE?
♪♪
♪♪
ANYTHING A WHITE POTATO CAN DO, A SWEET POTATO CAN DO.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU CAN BAKE THEM IN THE OVEN
JUST THE WAY YOU WOULD ANY BAKING POTATO,
JUST OUT ON THE RACK.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT EVEN AT 350 DEGREES,
THIS TAKES A VERY LONG TIME, AND THE PROCESS
TENDS TO MUTE THE SWEETNESS OF THE ROOT.
OTHER OPTIONS? WELL, YOU COULD CERTAINLY BOIL THEM.
THAT'S FAST.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT SINCE SWEET POTATOES LACK
THE WAXY TEXTURE OF BOILING POTATOES,
AND SINCE THEY ARE PACKED WITH WATER-LOVING SUGARS,
THEY WATERLOG VERY EASILY.
IT'S NOT GOOD EATS.
THE OTHER OPTION, OF COURSE? STEAMING.
NOT ONLY IS STEAMING CONVENIENT,
BUT IT IS FAST, IT IS EASY, IT IS PREDICTABLE,
AND BEST OF ALL, STEAM DOES NOT WASH AWAY
EITHER NUTRIENTS OR FLAVORS,
WHICH IS A VERY GOOD THING, INDEED.
NOW HERE WE HAVE TWO LARGE SWEET POTATOES CUT INTO CUBES.
THE MORE UNIFORM THE CUBES, THE MORE EVEN THE COOKING.
THIS ENDS UP BEING ABOUT 20 OUNCES, OR 4 CUPS
GOING INTO A POT CONTAINING 1 QUART OF WATER.
WE'LL LID THAT UP
AND SET OUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD TIMER
TO 20 MINUTES. (beep!)
THERE, NICE AND SOFT, BUT NOT WET OR GOOSHY.
NOW WE'RE JUST GOING TO DUMP THIS WATER,
PUT THE HUNKS BACK IN,
THEN ADD SOME BUTTER...
AND SOME SALT.
THEN, WE MASH.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FINER TEXTURE,
YOU COULD USE A RICER OR A FOOD MILL.
YOU COULD EVEN USE AN ELECTRIC STAND MIXER, IF YOU WANT,
BUT YOU'D BE MAKING LIBRARY PASTE.
SEE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE LITTLE STARCH GRANULES IN SWEET POTATOES
JUST CAN'T HANDLE THAT KIND OF ABUSE.
MMM... THAT'S GOOD.
OF COURSE, IF THEY REALLY DO HAVE PORCINE POTENTIAL,
WHAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE
IS A LITTLE BIT OF HEAT -- CHEMICAL HEAT, THAT IS.
HMM...
AHH, CHIPOTLE CHILIES... BASICALLY SMOKED JALAPEÑOS
PACKAGED WITH A VICIOUSLY HOT CONCOCTION --
ALBEIT DELICIOUS CONCOCTION -- CALLED ADOBO .
NOW SINCE THESE ARE CANNED, THEY HAVE BEEN FULLY COOKED
AND ARE READY TO DEPLOY.
♪♪
♪♪
(disparagingly) MASHED SWEET POTATOES?
THAT'S GREAT, MR. BROWN. REALLY TERRIFIC... REALLY.
WE DID A WHOLE SEASON OF DINNER-THEATER MASHERS OFF-BROADWAY.
OH, YOU'RE AFRAID OF TYPECASTING.
FINE.
DOES THIS TASTE LIKE TYPECASTING TO YOU?
MMM... WOW!
HEY!
THAT WOULD BE GREAT WITH A STEAK!
INDEED IT WOULD.
IT WOULD BE NICE WITH SOME ONION RINGS ON TOP, TOO.
MMM... STILL, MY CLIENT NEEDS TO GO IN A NEW DIRECTION,
SOMEWHERE A REGULAR SPUD CAN'T...
MAYBE... PERHAPS... COULD BE...
WAFFLES?
WAFFLES!
AHH, THAT SOUNDS RISKY... AVANT-GARDE, INDEPENDENT...
AND I LIKE IT!
BUT WON'T THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL MAKE-UP?
YOU JUST LEAVE THAT PART TO ME.
(rrring-rrring...) (phone ringing)
MARTY? SID! HAVE I GOT A TUBER FOR YOU!
HE'S AN UNDERGROUND SENSATION! HA HA HA.
♪♪
♪♪
MA'AM, IT'S THAT GUY AGAIN.
SMALL APPLIANCES.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S TURNING ON ALL THE WAFFLE IRONS.
("W") HMM, HE'S CHECKING TO SEE HOW FAST THEY HEAT UP.
HOW PREDICTABLE.
NEVER MIND THAT -- IT DOESN'T DO EITHER PARTICULARLY WELL.
IDIOT.
PLASTIC-CHASSIS WAFFLE IRONS NEVER GET AS HOT AS METAL ONES.
BECAUSE IF THEY DID, THEY'D CRACK OR WARP.
HE NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUES.
LIKE, AN EASY-TO-CLEAN, NONSTICK SURFACE,
A FLOATING HINGED LID THAT ENSURES AN EVEN RISE,
AN ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT, AND A LIGHT THAT TELLS YOU
WHEN THE IRON IS READY AND THE WAFFLE IS DONE?
AND A MOAT TO CATCH BATTER RUN-OFF.
HE'S PROBABLY HEARD THEY DON'T COOK
AS QUICKLY OR AS EVENLY AS ROUND ONES.
OH!
(clearing throat) NO, INFRARED THERMOMETER.
WHY IS THAT?
BECAUSE THE HOTTER THE UNIT, THE FASTER THE WAFFLE COOKS,
AND THAT MEANS A CRISP EXTERIOR AND A MOIST INTERIOR.
WELL, MAYBE HE'S NOT AS DUMB AS YOU THINK.
(crash!) (items falling onto floor)
NEVER MIND.
AH, THAT MADE MY DAY. THANK YOU, SAM.
♪♪
♪♪
AS IS TRUE OF MOST EPICS, IF THE STAR OF OUR WAFFLES
IS TRULY GOING TO SHINE,
IT'S GOING TO NEED THE AID OF MANY SUPPORTING PLAYERS --
THREE TEAMS OF PLAYERS, IN FACT.
WE'LL START WITH THE DRY TEAM.
GOING TO SIFT TOGETHER...
THAT'S KOSHER SALT.
♪♪
NOW MOVING ON TO THE WET TEAM,
BEGINNING WITH...
UNSALTED BUTTER, OF COURSE -- MELTED.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, 1 1/2 CUPS OF OUR STAR --
MASHED, STEAMED SWEET POTATOES,
WITHOUT THE CHIPOTLE PEPPERS THIS TIME.
AND STIR TO COMBINE.
♪♪
NOW ADD THE DRY TEAM DIRECTLY TO THE WET TEAM AND STIR,
BUT ONLY ENOUGH TO BRING THE MASS TOGETHER --
YOU DON'T WANNA OVERBEAT IT.
NOW I CAN ALREADY TELL THAT OUR STAR --
THE SWEET POTATOES -- ARE REALLY THICKENING THINGS UP,
SO LIKE SO MANY STARS, THEY WILL REQUIRE A LIFT JOB.
THIS LIFT JOB WILL COME FROM SIX EGG WHITES,
BEATEN TO MEDIUM PEAKS.
NOW I LIKE TO USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER FOR THIS.
YOU COULD USE YOUR ARM AND A HAND WHISK --
IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ARMS THAT LOOK LIKE POPEYE.
PERR-FECT.
OF COURSE, GETTING THESE INTEGRATED INTO THIS THICK GOO
IS GONNA BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT,
SO I'M GONNA DO IT IN THREE INSTALLMENTS.
FIRST INSTALLMENT, I'M NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT FOLDING.
I'M JUST GONNA STIR IT IN AND TRY TO LIGHTEN THAT UP.
NOW THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL DEFINITELY PAY THE PRICE
IF YOU OVERBEAT THAT MIXTURE,
BECAUSE YOU'LL CREATE GLUTEN AND FLOUR AND...
UGH, IT'LL BE MESSY.
THERE GOES THE SECOND INSTALLMENT --
STARTING TO FOLD NOW.
AND FINALLY, THE REMAINDER OF THE EGG WHITES.
IT MIXES A LOT LIGHTER NOW.
AND FOLD.
NOW SINCE THIS MIXTURE IS SO THICK,
WE DON'T HAVE TO POUR IT WITH A LADLE.
WE CAN USE A SCOOP OR DISHER --
A #20, IN FACT -- TWO LOADS FULL.
IT'S CALLED A 20 BECAUSE IT HAS A 20
ON THE LITTLE SWEEP IN THE MIDDLE.
IT MEANS IT'S 1/20 OF A QUART.
NOW JUST CLOSE THE LID AND WAIT FOR THE ALARM
TO TELL YOU THAT THE GOODNESS IS READY.
SWEETHEART, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
CALL ME IF LENO CALLS, ALL RIGHT?
HEL-LO, BEAUTIFUL!
TOPPINGS ARE, OF COURSE, ONLY LIMITED BY YOUR IMAGINATION.
ME, I TEND TO LIKE A NICE, DARK, AMBER MAPLE SYRUP
AND A FEW TOASTED PECANS.
BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MORE OF A DESSERT SCENARIO,
YOU COULD AUGMENT THAT WITH A LITTLE BIT
OF BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM.
OHH, WELL... (giving short laughs)
I USUALLY EAT WITH MY HANDS.
OHH... MMM...
BRILLIANT, MR. BROWN!
OH HO HO.
NOW THAT WE'VE KICKED THE SPUD'S BUTT,
WHAT DO YOU SAY WE TAKE OUT THE REST OF MY CLIENT'S COMPETITION?
WHAT ARE YOU, AN AGENT OR A HIT MAN?
OH.
IT'S JUST THAT WHEN I THINK OF ALL THE ROLES
THE PUMPKIN?
SHHH! HE'S VERY SENSITIVE!
WELL, LOOK, IT'S NO PROBLEM.
WE CAN TACKLE THE PUMPKIN ON HIS OWN TURF.
(in unison) PIE!
YES.
HELLO, YES, YES, I HAVE A NEWS FLASH RIGHT NOW.
GET THIS -- DATELINE, BEIRUT.
I KNOW, IT SEEMS WRONG TO MAKE PIE OUT OF A SWOLLEN ROOT,
SO DON'T THINK OF IT AS SWEET POTATO PIE.
THINK OF IT AS MAKING THE BEST PUMPKIN PIE YOU'LL EVER MAKE.
WE ALL LOVE PUMPKIN PIE, RIGHT?
THE PROBLEM IS, WHO WANTS TO DEAL WITH CHOPPING
AND SEEDING AND ROASTING AND SCRAPING ONE OF THESE?
NOBODY, WHICH IS WHY NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN,
PUMPKIN PIE GETS MADE WITH...
AND THAT'S REALLY NOT GOOD EATS, NOW IS IT?
THE BEST THING ABOUT SWEET POTATOES --
BESIDES BEING DELICIOUS --
IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BREAK OUT THE CHAIN SAW.
♪♪
BREAK OUT YOUR STAND MIXER, AND INTO THE BOWL
INSERT 1 1/4 POUNDS OF SWEET POTATO CUBES
THAT YOU HAVE STEAMED FOR 20 MINUTES.
INSERT THE PADDLE AND BEAT ON LOW
JUST UNTIL THEY START TO FALL APART,
THEN TURN UP THE SPEED AND MASH 'EM GOOD.
TO THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO ADD...
NOW BEAT THE TAR OUT OF IT.
IT WON'T TAKE MORE THAN A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO BRING EVERYTHING TOGETHER,
AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE PRETTY WHEN IT IS TOGETHER.
NOW POUR THIS INTO A 9-INCH PIE SHELL,
AND YES, STORE-BOUGHT IS FINE.
SMOOTH IT OUT WITH A SPATULA, IF YOU CAN,
AND THEN SPRINKLE ON 1 CUP OF CHOPPED AND TOASTED PECANS.
YOU COULD USE WALNUTS, TOO, IF YOU LIKE.
AND THEN SPRINKLE ON ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON
OF DARK MAPLE SYRUP... MMMM.
SLIDE YOUR MASTERWORK INTO A 350-DEGREE OVEN
AND CLOSE THE DOOR -- FOR 50 MINUTES.
♪♪
♪♪
LOOK A LITTLE WOBBLY?
WELL, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN IT IS DEVILISHLY DIFFICULT
TO DISCERN DONENESS FROM A VISUAL INSPECTION ALONE.
LUCKILY, THIS KIND OF PIE -- A CUSTARD --
SETS BETWEEN 160 AND 180 DEGREES,
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO PULL IT WHILE IT'S STILL A LITTLE ON THE WOBBLY SIDE.
YOU WAIT TOO LONG, AND IT'LL CRACK ON TOP
LIKE A NASTY CHEESECAKE.
THIS IS 173 DEGREES, WHICH IS JUST RIGHT.
WE'LL GIVE IT ONE HOUR TO COOL BEFORE WE ATTEMPT SLICING.
♪♪
MARSHMALLOWS?
PIE.
YES, IT IS.
NO NO NO NO NO!!!
CAN'T WE JUST LOOK?
YOU CUT THAT, AND WE CAN KISS THAT "VANITY FAIR" COVER SHOT ADIOS!
RELAX, RELAX A SECOND.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
THERE YOU GO, AND WE JUST PUT THIS GUY BACK,
AND WITH A PIECE MISSING, IT'LL BE EASIER TO CUT NEXT TIME.
OH, NO NO.
YOU TV CHEFS CAN FATTEN UP,
BUT WE POWER PLAYERS HAVE TO BE LEAN AND MEAN AND...
OH, YES, I'LL HOLD.
WE HOPE WE'VE OPENED YOUR MIND
AND MAYBE EVEN YOUR HEART
TO THE STAR POTENTIAL OF THE SWEET POTATO.
WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SWEET TREAT, A SAVORY SIDE,
OR A DARN HEALTHY BREAKFAST COMPANION,
THE SWEET POTATO IS A ROOT FOR ALL SEASONS,
NOT TO MENTION GOOD EATS.
MARTHA, BABY! HAVE I GOT A ROOT FOR YOU!
Captioned by Scripps Networks, Inc.
SO UH, RUDY... CAN I CALL YOU RUDY?
ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR CURRENT REPRESENTATION, HMM?